Brass Stamping Capabilities

Prototype & Short-Run Services is a leading provider of high quality, high precision brass stampings. With over 20 years of experience, we can deliver prototypes and production parts that match your exact requirements. We specialize in complete-to-print, deep drawn brass stampings, and can deliver the parts and components you need in the quantities you need with fast turnaround times that fit your schedule.

As a full-service metal stamping job shop, we can take your brass stamping project from start to finish. We offer design assistance and engineering, as needed, to turn your concepts into tangible products as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. We also offer numerous finishing services—including heat treating, deburring, and more—to deliver brass stampings that match your unique specifications.

Deep Drawn Brass

Deep drawing utilizes mechanical presses and a series of progressive brass dies to transform sheet metal into functional parts and components. Brass sheet is “blanked”—i.e. cut into round or shaped flat pieces—and these blanks are then fed into a stamping machine. A hydraulic-powered brass punch presses the blanks into specially designed and manufactured dies in sequence, gradually forming the material into the desired part shape. The end result is a seamless, one-piece metal part.

After the drawing process, any holes the part design requires are punched, and excess material is trimmed.

A beneficial side effect of deep drawing is work hardening of the material. As it is a “cold working” process, deep drawing alters the grain structure of the brass as it is stretched and formed into shape. This altered grain structure gives brass stampings greater physical strength than the unworked base material.

With our extensive experience, Prototype & Short-Run Services can manufacture brass parts, from the simplest to the most intricate, with unrivaled precision. In general, the more complex the part design, the more steps/dies the deep drawing process requires. However, parts of all kinds can be produced with comparable speed and accuracy.

Brass Grades

We work with brass in a range of grades to produce brass stampings as prototypes and long- and short-run production parts. Available brass grades include, but are not limited to:

Grade A brass

Grade B brass

Grade C brass

Etc. etc.

Characteristics of Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc that is used in a broad spectrum of applications. The proportions of the base metals can be varied considerably to create brass materials with varying properties; both very hard and very soft brasses are available. Compared to other structural materials, such as steel, it offers greater malleability but lower hardness. Brass is also tarnish resistant and can be polished to a mirror-like finish.

The relative softness of brass makes it ideal for use in flammable or explosive environments where sparks must be avoided. It is relatively low-friction, making it preferable for gears, bearings, locks, and valve components. It also possesses unique antimicrobial properties. Brass is commonly used for decorative components due to its gold-like appearance and high luster.

Benefits of Working with Brass

Deep drawn brass stampings are used in countless applications. In general, brass provides good strength and high corrosion resistance. It requires no painting or plating, making it a relatively low maintenance material. Plating is possible for certain applications.

As the end of another calendar year approaches, we would like to express our thanks to you and your company to commend you all for the tremendous efforts, technical proficiency, quality products, and services. We are asked to do whatever necessary to help meet near impossible schedules.

While working for a stamping company Jack saw that the need for prototyping was becoming more of an issue every day. No one was satisfied. Customers never got parts to print and in-house people hated doing custom parts. A magazine article in 1989 describing the capabilities.....